'No match is over until the last ball is bowled'

The Seemandhra star batsman advises Congress high command to be sensitive to people’s concerns |File photo

Notwithstanding the recent warning issued by his party high command, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy seems to have decided to continue his ‘do-or-die’ attitude to vehemently oppose his party leadership’s determined efforts to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

Continuing his swashbuckling stance against his party leadership’s T-decision, the chief minister, a former cricketer, on Thursday, said, “A match is not over until the last ball is bowled.”

He exuded confidence that the game might turn to anybody’s favour in the coming days.

He further felt that it could not be possible for his party leadership to take forward its T-decision by ignoring the people’s protests in Seemandhra.

This remark of Kiran Reddy assumes significance as the Union home ministry is drafting a resolution on Telangana for presenting it before the Union Cabinet.

Kiran Reddy, who is considered the “star batsman” of Seemandhra side, has further gone against his party line and tried to give a piece of advice to his party high command, saying, “A problem can’t be solved by creating another bigger problem. The Congress, which enjoys a lot of clout in AP, should be more sensitive to the concerns of the people of all regions of the state while implementing its decision to divide AP.” Kiran Reddy, in an interview to Rajya Sabha TV channel, said bifurcation of AP would only create a lot of problems.

According to him, there would be problems of not only sharing of river waters but also of education and medical facilities, which are concentrated in Hyderabad. Asked if he was revolting against his party leadership, Kiran Reddy said, “I have to address the concerns of the people. When lakhs of people have got apprehensions, it is my responsibility as the chief minister to satisfy them.”

Stating that the decision on Hyderabad was not yet made by the Centre, he called for a debate on the status of Hyderabad.

Still a lot of discussion was going on the status of Hyderabad, he said, adding all Seemandhra leaders are trying their best to keep AP intact.

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